Little or no education/awarness
exists about environmental
issues in industrial workers.CETP in Kasur, is capable
of handling 3
13,000 m /day effluent
from 230 tanneries.
Promote establishing CETP for
cluster of industries who cannot afford
ETP due to financial, physical and
technological limitations.
Cleaner Production Practices
should be promoted and
incentivized in industrial
estates.
Review of Existing Environmental Laws andRegulations in Pakistan
as well as Focus on the Impacts of Non-Compliance of such Laws on Various Sectors Including Health,
Business Development, and Resource Loss
REPORT
2018
PK
by Sardar Aasif Sial
Author: Sardar Aasif Sial
Reviewed by: Syed Mujtaba Abbas Zaidi and Suniya Taimour
Copyright WWF-Pakistan 2018
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied in any way or in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Designer: Nadia Aine
Photo Credits: WWF-Pakistan
This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of WWF-Pakistan and can in no way be taken to represent the views of the European Union
Review of Existing Environmental Laws andRegulations in Pakistan
as well as Focus on the Impacts of Non-Compliance of such Laws on Various Sectors Including Health,
Business Development, and Resource Loss
1. Introduction
1.1 GSP+ (Generalized System of Preferences +)
1.1.1 Benefits
2. Objectives
3. Methodology
4. Review of Environmental Laws of Pakistan
4.1 Existing Environmental Legislation
Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 (PEP Act, 1997)
Rules & Regulations Made Under the PEP Act, 1997
The Punjab Environmental Quality Standards (PEQS), 2016
(i) Liquid Effluents and Gaseous Emissions
(ii) Drinking Water Quality
(iii) Motor Vehicle Exhaust and Noise
Rules and Regulations made under the Punjab Environmental Protection Act,
1997 (Amended) 2012
4.2 Relevant Laws Related to Water, Air, Noise and Solid Waste Pollution Control
The Canal and Drainage Act, 1873 (Water Pollution Control)
The Forest Act, 1927
The Factories Act, 1934 (Amendment 2012)
The Pakistan National Conservation Strategy, 1992
The National Environmental Policy, 2005
National Sanitation Policy, 2006
Solid Waste Management Guidelines, 2005
National Drinking Water Policy, 2009
Punjab Environmental Policy, 2015
5. Effectiveness of Environmental Laws
5.1 Law Enforcement Mechanism in the Industrial Sector
Wastewater
Air Emissions
Noise Level
Solid Waste
Wastewater
Air Emissions
Noise Level
Solid Waste
6. Case Study Report
7. Overall Status of Environmental Compliance
8. Magnitude of Penalties and Punishments for Non-Compliance of Environmental Laws
8.1 Rationale
8.2 Penalties
Table of Contents
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9. Challenges faced by SMEs in Complying with the Local Environmental Laws
9.1 Capital Cost, Operating Cost and Area Requirement for Wastewater Treatment Plants
10. Impacts of Non-compliance of Environmental Laws on Health Sector
10.1 Existing Health Surveillance
10.2 Working of ILO, Labour Department, and WHO
10.3 Existing Policies for Industrial Workers
11. Short-term and Medium-term Impacts
1) Health Impacts of Textile Industry
2) Health Impacts of Leather Industry
12. Impacts of Textile and Leather Industries
12.1 Short-term and Medium-term Health Impacts of Textile Industries
12.2 Short-term and Medium-term Health Impacts of Leather Industries
Heavy Metals in Textile and Leather Industries
13. Impacts of Non-compliance of Environmental Laws on Health
13.1 Industrial workers
Health Assessment of workers
13.2 Workers Health / Sickness monitoring
Audiometric Tests for Workers
Hearing Protection
When is Hearing Protection Required?
Hearing Conservation Programme (HCP)
13.3 Community Health Impacts
14. Critical Analysis of Environmental Laws
14.1 The effectiveness of existing different sectoral laws on water, air, noise and solid waste
14.1.1 Rewards/Awards/Positive Incentives
14.1.2 Imposition of Penalties/Punishments/Convictions
15. Evaluation of the compliance effectiveness of different provisions of existing environmental
legislation
15.1 Ineffective Compliance
16. Opportunities for Enhanced Implementation of Environmental Legislations in Leather and
Textile Sectors
16.1 In-House Improvement
Cleaner Production
16.2 Resource Efficiency
16.3 Combined Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP)
17. Environmental Rights of Citizens
18. Environmental Awareness and Public Access to Environmental Justice
19. Conclusion
20. Recommendation to Improve Environmental Laws and Policies
References
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List of Acronyms
CETP Combined Effluent Treatment Plant
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CMC Carboxymethyl Cellulose
COP Conference of the Parties
CPI Cleaner Production Institute
dB(A) Decibel (A Scale)
DMF Dimethylformamide
EIA Environmental Impact Assessment
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
GSP Generalized System of Preferences
HCP Hearing Conservation Programme
IEE Initial Environmental Examination
ILO International Labour Organization
INDC Intended Nationally Determined Contributions
IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature
LLB Bachelor of Laws
NCS National Conservation Strategy
NEQS National Environmental Quality Standards
NOC No Objection Certificate
NPO National Productivity Organization
NRR Noise Reduction Rating
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
PEPA Pakistan Environmental Protection Act
PEQS Punjab Environmental Quality Standards
PKR Pak Rupees
PLGMEA Pakistan Leather Garments Manufacturers & Exporter Association
PM Particulate Matter
PPE Personal Protective Equipment
PTA Pakistan Tanners Association
PTEA Pakistan Textile Exporters Association
PVA Polyvinyl Alchohol
REACH Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals
TDAP Trade Development Authority of Pakistan
TWA Time Weighted Average
UAE United Arab Emeritus
UASB Up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket
UN United Nations
UNEP United Nations Environment Programme
USA United States of America
VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds
WHO World Health Organization
WWF Worldwide fund for Nature
In reaction to rising pollution, most developed states have been successful in endorsing environmental laws. However,
developing countries like Pakistan face challenges in enacting environmental regulations which can be owed to,
amongst other factors limited capacity, lack of resources and lack of willingness by authorities. There is certainly
undisputed substantiation that insufficient compliance with environmental laws is leading to increasing rural and urban
pollution. Despite having environmental protection legislation, The Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, (PEPA,
1997), and post-devolution, The Punjab Environmental Protection Act (PEPA, 2012), the pollution quotients related to
air and water are major problems, predominantly in industrial areas.
Usually, industries are inclined to comply when a particular purchase order from the client requires them to
improve their environmental performance by acquiring environmental approvals from concerned environmental
agencies or departments.
In Pakistan, the textile and leather sectors are the major industries that are contributing to the development of the
economy. One of the most significant and largest industrial sectors of Pakistan for manufacturing, foreign exchange 1
and employment of workers is the textile sector. It accounts for 57 per cent share of the country's export, 38 per cent 2 3
of industrial production and employed technical workforce . The sector also accounts for 8 per cent of GDP . The
textile sector consists of a long and complex chain of different production processes. According to the Ministry of Textile
(now the Ministry of Commerce and Textile) the textile setup in Pakistan has installed production capacity of 11.3
million spindles, 3 million rotors, 0.35 million power-looms, and 18,000 knitting machines. The textile processing 4
capacity of the country is around 5.2 billion sq. metres and there are around 420 textile mills in Pakistan registered
with All Pakistan Textile Manufacturers Association (APTMA), out of which 13 are in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) region, 5
62 in Sindh-Balochistan region and the remaining 345 are in Punjab . The list of APTMA members is attached as
Annexure-1.
Around 65 per cent of industrial units are located in Punjab. The textile industry is characterized by high levels of
air and water pollution solid waste. In Pakistan, textile industries discharge effluents directly into water bodies that 7
severely affect human health and aquatic life .
Amongst the manufacturing sector, the leather industry is the second largest foreign exchange contributor to the
economy of Pakistan; about ninety percent of finished leather is exported. It was discovered that the leather sector of
Pakistan contributes about five percent to gross domestic product (GDP) and about 4.41 percent to the overall
earnings of the country from exports. Items in the leather sector that are exported include tanned leather, garments,
sports goods, footwear, gloves and other manufacturing goods. Spain, Italy, Germany, China, UAE, Turkey, UK, 8
France, and the USA are the leading purchasers of Pakistani leather products .
The rise of tanneries in Pakistan has caused severe environmental degradation as untreated tannery wastewater is
released into nearby water bodies. The major constituent of this wastewater is chromium ion that is highly carcinogenic
for both human and aquatic life.
Air pollution also occurs from the burning of tanneries residuals, i.e., hair. However, due to a need for foreign
exchange, the government is encouraging the development of tanneries by presenting these industries with export 9
discounts while it fails to implement existing environmental regulations .
In the absence of good governance mechanisms, which can compel industry to voluntarily fulfill the necessary
commitment towards environmental protection, the industrial sector does not consider the need for compliance and
implementation of environmental laws and regulations as their moral and legal obligation.
Industrialists consider environmental protection as an unavoidable business compulsion imposed by foreign
buyers, and willfully neglect to maintain standards of their products utilized by domestic consumers mainly because
compliance requires a huge amount of socio-economic responsibility with consistent monitoring, maintenance
obligations and resources.
1 Introduction
9
1 Textile Division Government of Pakistan (www.textile.gov.pk)2
Punjab Industries Sector Plan 2018 (http://www.pndpunjab.gov.pk/system/files/Punjab_Industries_Sector_Plan_2018_0.pdf)3
Textile Policy 2014-194
Textile Policy 2014-195
Samad, G., 2015 -Environmental Regulations and Compliance in the Textile Processing Sector in Pakistan: Empirical Evidence6
Textile Policy 2014-197
Samad, G., 2015 -Environmental Regulations and Compliance in the Textile Processing Sector in Pakistan: Empirical Evidence8
Water & Sanitation Programme (WSP) – 2013 Annual Report9
Informatory research data gathered during field visit by the SELCON Intl Team
Sardar Aasif Ali Sial is an Environmental Attorney, Environmental Legal Practitioner & Green
Economy Consultant. He has earned Master Degree in English Literature, Political Science and
Government, advanced Degree in Law, post graduate Specialization in National and
International Environmental Laws & Policy, WTO & International Green Economy/Trade Laws. Mr.
Sial is also a member of American Bar Association. He is Visiting Faculty Member of Management
& Professional Development Department, Govt. of the Punjab, Punjab Judicial Academy-Lahore
High Court, and University of Chicago-USA. He has also been teaching International
Environmental Laws in Punjab University Law College, Kinnaird College and UCP, Lahore.
Mr. Sial has written different Articles, published in National and International journals on National
and International Environmental Law, Bio waste and its treatment, Ecological economics, Global
Trade Liberalization and Sustainable Development, International Green Trade Policy and WTO
regime, SEAs, Environmental Legal System in Pakistan, GATS, TPRM, TRIPS, TRIMs & GATT etc.
Mr. Sial has executed a number of Environmental Projects and Studies.
Author's Profile
1.1 GSP+ (Generalized System of Preferences +):
In recognition of Pakistan's role in the war against terrorism and losses born by the nation (which also severely affected
the country's economy, including the industrial and trade losses internationally) the European Union (EU) granted
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP+) status to Pakistan to boost the pace of exports. This was a great opportunity
for the country's industrial sector to make up their deficiencies by upgrading their quality of production through best
available and feasible solutions by practicing modern techniques and installation of sophisticated equipment and
technology for mitigation measures.The GSP+ scheme was introduced by the EU to help developing countries manage the new trade responsibilities
that come with the implementation of 27 core international conventions including labour and human rights, good
governance and protection of the environment by exempting duty on export on a set of particular commodities.
Pakistan was granted of GSP+ status by the EU in 2014, and since then Pakistan has seen some increased growth,
which is still inadequate due to a weak mechanism for the compliance of international labour, environmental laws and
regulations as well as the standards set in the GSP+ convention. This aspect makes GSP+ a crucial and mention-
worthy issue as it encompasses both the leather and textile industries largely.
Pakistani industries can take advantage of the GSP+ status through the implementation and compliance of
environmental principles and subordinate legislation as it is a crucial part of the maintaining the economic
development of the country.
Environmental conformity of industries will not only ensure the standard of contribution to the betterment of
the surroundings but will also be a potential indicator and add-on for a better under international quality
and environmental standards.
GSP+ status is a doorway to more than 600 million consumers based in the EU.
Pakistan industrial sectors can enhance exports and take advantage of foreign investments to produce
internationally competitive products, especially in the textile, garments and leather sectors.
1.1.1 Benefits:
and Punjab Health Department through telephone interviews as well as face-to-face meetings.
4. A questionnaire was developed by WWF-Pakistan for the collection of data from industries and concerned
departments that are attached as Annexure-III.
5. Survey evidence was also collected and can be found in the photo log.
The Pakistan Environment Protection Ordinance (PEPO), 1983 was improved, and after extensive consultation with
concerned stakeholders the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act (PEPA), 1997 was enacted in December 1997. This
was supplemented by existing sectoral laws on factories, forestry, wildlife, motor vehicles, local government, and canal
and drainage. The PEPA, 1997 has established a complete regulatory structure for the protection, preservation,
conservation, treatment or rehabilitation of the clean environment, prevention or control of contamination/pollution
and encouragement or promotion of sustainable development. This act achieved the objective of environmental
awareness, but a lot of techno-legal difficulties are still being faced in its compliance.
The PEPA, 1997 is comprehensive, but in its legislative scheme, most of its provisions can be operationalized only
subject to the rules and regulations to be prescribed there under. As this is the first special comprehensive legislation on
environmental law, it contains specific provisions to address the already existing and emerging environmental problems
caused by climate change. As a result of the commitment made by Pakistan while participating in the United Nations
(UN) Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, Pakistan signed the Rio th
Declaration in conformity with Agenda 21. Post-devolution and following the implementation of 18 amendment,
federal laws have been delegated to the provinces leading to the implementation of the Provincial Environmental
Protection Act and Strategies.
There are ten notified and two draft rules, while one draft and two notified regulations had been prescribed under this
Act. Details are included as Annexure-IV. Industry specific rules and regulations are mentioned as below:
1. National Environmental Quality Standards (Self-Monitoring and Reporting by Industries) Rules, 2001.
2. Self-Monitoring and Reporting by Industries Rules, 2001-Amended.
3. Draft Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Substances Rules, 2016 under section 13 and 14 of the
Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997.
4. Compound of Offences and Payment of Administrative Penalty Rules October, 2015.
5. Environmental Samples Rules, 2001.
6. Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Review of IEE/EIA) Regulations, 2000.
7. The Pollution Charge for Industry (Calculation and Collection) Rules, 2001.
8. Draft Hazardous Substances Rules, 2003.
9. Pakistan Biosafety Rules 2005.
10. National Environmental Quality Standards (Environmental Laboratories Certification) Regulations,
2000.
11. Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Review of IEE/EIA) Regulations, 2000.
Under Section 6 (I) (c) of PEPA Act 1997, the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS), now called the
Punjab Environmental Quality Standards (PEQS) post-devolution, have also been set for liquid effluents, gaseous
4. Review of Environmental Laws of Pakistan
4.1 Existing Environmental Legislation
Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 (PEPA Act, 1997)
Rules & Regulations Made Under the PEPA Act, 1997
The Punjab Environmental Quality Standards (PEQS), 2016
2. Objectives
3. Methodology
The objectives of the study are to:
1. Develop an understanding of the environmental legislation in Pakistan for the public as a whole.
2. Understand the challenges of implementation and compliance with environmental laws and regulations in
Pakistan.
3. Assess broad-based impacts of non-compliance of environmental legislation on Pakistan's health sector.
To evaluate the trends and existing status of environmental compliance in the textile and leather industry and to
specifically assess the effectiveness of existing environmental laws in local industries, the environmental legislation have
been reviewed, and five (5) textile and five (5) leather tanneries of Lahore, Kasur, Faisalabad, and Karachi have been
surveyed. The information was collected according to the following steps:
1. Environment related laws, regulation, and legislation and their analysis is given in the forthcoming sections
were reviewed.
2. Primary data parameters, i.e., waste water sampling, air quality data, etc., were collected by survey of
randomly selected industries.
3. Secondary data related to the current study was collected from All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA),
Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA), Environmental Tribunal, Punjab, Punjab Environmental Protection Agency
1110
The newly notified PEQS 2016 specifies standards for nine parameters in total regarding ambient air quality
include the following:11
Five (5) ambient gaseous parameters of SO , NO, NO , O , and CO .2 2 3
12Three (3) numbers ambient particulates parameters of SPM, PM , and PM2.5 .10
One (1) parameter of Pb (Lead).
The Canal and Drainage Act, 1873 amended in 1952, 1965, 1968, 1970 and the Punjab Minor Canals Act, 1905
are the earliest statutes governing water pollution in the Indus basin. The Canal and Drainage Act prohibits corrupting
or fouling of canal water which may be used for domestic purposes in localities nearby. The Act provides for imposing
a fine of PKR. 500 or one month imprisonment or both to the contraveners.
The Forest Act, 1927, authorizes provincial governments to forbid the clearing of forests for farming, foraging, hunting,
eliminating forests; or excavation and felling, trimming and topping of trees, twigs in reserved areas under Section 5 in
contravention of rules made by the government.
The Factories Act, 1934 coupled with the Provincial Factory Rules 1952 under Clause 14 on ”Disposal of waste
Effluents” states that effective arrangements shall be made in every factory for the disposal of waste and effluents from
the manufacturing process and imposes fines for polluters. The Factories Act under Section 33Q allows provincial
governments to establish rules for factories whose operation expose persons to serious risks of bodily injury, poisoning
and disease. This act relates mainly to the health, safety, and well-being of workers, and dumping of solid waste and
sewage that harm public and private property. This act also presents regulations for managing and disposing of
hazardous toxic materials. In subsequent amendments in the Factories Act, the penalties/fines in case of committing
offenses under Sections 2, 13 15, 16, 18, 23, 33K, and 33L (prohibition of dust smoke bad hazards) have been
increased many times as compared to those formerly charged on people committing the offense.
The central cabinet approved the National Conservation Strategy (NSC) of Pakistan in 1992. It was the primary policy 14
document related to environmental problems in the country . The NCS has 14 core areas, including:
Sustainable development;
Conservation of natural resources;
Efficiently manage and use of resources.
This policy aims to protect, conserve and restore Pakistan's environment to recover citizen's quality of life by sustainable
development. The principal objectives of this policy are:
Conservation, restoration and proficient management of the environmental resources.
Incorporation of environmental considerations in the policy making and planning process.
Capacity building of governmental agencies and other stakeholders at all levels for better environmental
management.
134.2 Relevant Laws Related to Water, Air, Noise and Solid Waste Pollution Control
The Canal and Drainage Act, 1873 (Water Pollution Control)
The Forest Act, 1927
The Factories Act, 1934 (Amendment 2012)
The Pakistan National Conservation Strategy, 1992
The National Environmental Policy, 2005
12 13
emissions, noise levels and drinking water quality such as;
The PEQS (2016) specifies the following standards for:
Maximum allowable concentration of pollutants (32 parameters) in municipal and liquid industrial effluents
discharged to inland waters, sewage treatment facilities, and the sea (three separate sets).
Maximum allowable concentration of pollutants (16 parameters) in gaseous emissions from industrial
sources.
Maximum allowable concentration of pollutants (2 parameters) in gaseous emissions from vehicle exhaust.
Maximum allowable noise levels from vehicles.
The PEQS notified documents provide standard values for following 37 parameters:
Biological (6 parameters)
Physical (7 parameters)
Chemical (19 parameters)
a) Essential inorganic (9 parameters)
b) Toxic inorganic (10 parameters)
Organic (3 parameters)
Radioactive (2 parameters)
Under the PEQS (2016), different areas/zones have been categorized to specify PEQS (2016) limiting values
depending on land use and exposure level of sensitive receptors in different environmental conditions. Four types 10
of areas have been mentioned with specific values for the noise level during day and night times in this regard .
These are:
Residential area
Commercial area
Industrial area
Silence Zone
A copy of the revised PEQS gazette notifications is included as Annexure-V.
There are six rules related to the Punjab Environmental Tribunal, Administrative Penalty, Motor Vehicles, Bio-safety,
Hospital Waste Management and Punjab Environmental Protection Council (Procedure), seven PEQS for industrial
gaseous emissions, treatment of liquid, disposal of biomedical waste by incineration, auto cleaving, microwaving and
deep burial, municipal and liquid industrial effluents, noise, ambient air, motor vehicles exhaust and noise, and
drinking water which have been prescribed under PEPA 1997.
Details are included as Annexure-IV.
As a new development the Punjab Ambient Air Quality Standards were introduced on 12 August 2016, under the
same Act, to monitor ambient air quality in order to assess the impacts of industrial emissions to prevent conditions in
which urban air quality can be adversely affected in the future. Relevant ambient air quality standards are mentioned
below:
(I) Liquid Effluents and Gaseous Emissions
(ii) Drinking Water Quality
(iii) Motor Vehicle Exhaust and Noise
Rules and Regulations made under the Punjab Environmental Protection Act, 1997 (Amended) 2012
Ambient Air Quality
10 http://Environment.gov.pk, Punjab Environmental Quality Standards, 2016
11 Sulphur Dioxide, Oxides of Nitrogen, Ozone, Carbon Monoxide12
Suspended Particulate Matter, Respirable Particulate Matters13
www.na.gov.pk14
(EUAD/IUCN, 1992).
1- Subject to the provisions of this Act and the rules and regulations made thereunder no person shall
discharge or emit or allow the discharge or emissions of any effluent or water or air pollutant or noise
in an amount, concentration or level which is in excess of the [54] [Punjab Environmental Quality
Standards] or where applicable, the standards established under sub-clause (i) of clause (g) of
subsection (1) of section 6.
2- The [55] [Government] may levy a pollution charge on any person who contravenes or fail to comply
with the provisions of sub-section (1), to be calculated at such rate, and collected by such procedure
as may be prescribed.
3- Any person who pays the pollution charge levied under sub-section(2) shall not be charged with an
offense concerning that contravention or failure.
4- The provision of sub-section (3) shall not apply to projects, which commenced industrial activity on or
after the thirtieth day of June 1994.
Section 11 of the PEPA Act, 1997, (Amendment 2012) deals with gaseous emissions, air pollutants like
smoke, particulate matter, NOx, SOx or noise, etc., into the ambient atmosphere and discharge of municipal and
liquid industrial effluents into the recipient body from the source more than the NEQS or PEQS limits. This Section 11
also regulates the levy of pollution charge on any person who fails to comply with the provisions of the environmental
legislation.
Subject to the provisions of PEPA, no person shall generate, collect, consign, transport, treat, dispose of, store, handle
or import any hazardous substance except:
i. Under a license issued by the [65] [Provincial Agency] and in such manner as may be prescribed;
or
ii. By the provisions of any other law for the time being in force, or of any international treaty, convention,
protocol, code, standard, agreement or another instrument to which Pakistan is a party.
Subject to the provisions of this Act and the rules and regulations made thereunder, no person shall operate a motor
vehicle from which air pollutants or noise are being emitted in an amount, concentration or level which is in excess of
the [66] [Punjab] Environmental Quality Standards], or where applicable the standards established under Clause (g) of
Sub-section (1) of Section 6.
For ensuring compliance with the standards mentioned in Sub-section (1), the [67] [Provincial Agency] may direct
that any motor vehicle or class of vehicles shall install such pollution control devices or other equipment or use such
fuels or undergo such maintenance or testing as may be prescribed where a direction has been issued by the [68] 19
[Provincial Agency] under Sub-section (2) in respect of any motor vehicles till such direction has been complied with .
Section15 regulates air pollutants, noise (vehicular pollution). There are two principal actors which play a vital role
in this regard that are:
1. Environmental Protection Agencies
2. Environmental Tribunals
Summary:
Section13 of PEPA deals with the prohibition of import of hazardous waste
Section 14: Handling of Hazardous Substances
Section14 deals with the handling of hazardous substances
Section 15: Regulation of Motor Vehicles
Meeting international obligations efficiently in line with national aspirations.
Creation of a demand for the environment through mass awareness and community mobilization.
The National Sanitation Policy of Pakistan provides an extensive framework and policy guidelines to the federal
government, provincial governments, federally administered territories and local governments in order to enhance and
support sanitation coverage in the country through the formulation of sanitation strategies, plans and programmes at
all the respective levels to improve the quality of life of the people of Pakistan and also the physical environment
necessary for a healthy life.
The primary focus of sanitation for this policy is on the safe disposal of excreta away from dwelling units and
workplaces by using a sanitary latrine, and includes the formation of an open evaluation free environment along with
the safe disposal of liquid and solid wastes; and the promotion of health and hygiene practices in the country.
Solid waste management must be carried out according to the Solid Waste Management Guidelines (draft), 2005
published by the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency along with the requirements as laid down by the Tehsil
Municipal Authority.
The Government of Pakistan believes that access to safe drinking water is the fundamental right of every citizen and
that it is the constitutional responsibility of the state to ensure its provision to all citizens. It is committed to providing an
adequate quantity of safe drinking water to the entire population at an affordable cost and in an equitable/sustainable
manner.
To fulfil this commitment, the Ministry of Environment, in line with provisions of the National Environment Policy 15
and Vision 2030, has formulated the National Drinking Water Policy through a countrywide consultation process . Its
related sections are Section 5(a), (b),(c), (d), (e); Section 6.3, 6.4, 6.6.
The Punjab Environment Policy, 2015 provides an overarching framework to address environmental issues such as the
pollution of freshwater bodies (7.1 and 7.2), air pollution (7.4), noise pollution (7.5), soil pollution and proper waste
management (7.6) and climate change (7.12), etc. The theme of the Punjab Environment Policy 2015 is sustainable
development in order to enhance human wellbeing. The policy has been approved by the Punjab Environmental
Protection Council under Section 4 (b) of the Punjab Environmental Protection (Amended Act) 2012 and remains
enforced.
This policy was introduced by the Environmental Protection Department, Punjab to combat the prevailing issue of smog
occurring since the last few years. The policy provides an action plan to respond to the issue of smog and identifies
different short term and long term measures. This policy suggests greening of industrial processes and emphasizes the
use of low sulfur fuels.
National Sanitation Policy, 2006
Solid Waste Management Guidelines, 2005
National Drinking Water Policy, 2009
Punjab Environmental Policy, 2015
Policy on Controlling Smog, 2017
Section 11 of PEPA
Section 11: Prohibition of Certain Discharges or Emissions
4.3 Other relevant provisions from PEPA
16 The Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/Pakistan=Environmental-Protection-Act-1997.pdf17
Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997, http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/Pakistan=Environmental-Protection-Act-1997.pdf18
The Punjab Environmental Protection Act 1997.(n.d.). Retrieved from http://punjablaws.gov.pk/laws/2192a.html19
The Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/Pakistan=Environmental-Protection-Act-1997.pdf
15 (National Drinking Water Policy….(n.d.)) retrieved from http://epd.punjab.gov.pk/system/files/National_Drinking_Water_Policy.pdf
14 15
The Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/Pakistan=Environmental-Protection-Act-1997.pdf20
4.4 EPA's Effectiveness in Environmental Conservation
4.5 The Effective Role of Environmental Tribunals in Environmental Conservation
Environmental Protection Agencies are the regulatory authorities to control pollution, protect and conserve the
environment and are duty bound under Section 6(1) (o) (q) of the PEPA Act to ensure the compliance of environmental
legislation either by launching public awareness campaigns, by providing literary guidance or by extending educational
and technological assistance for the adoption of engineering solutions by commercial or industrial organizations to
prove its effective role in environmental conservation. The EPA is empowered to stop objectionable pollution generated
by commercial or industrial activities. The EPA is also entitled to impose an administrative penalty on violators of
environmental legislation under Section 17(7) of the Act, 2012, read in conjunction with Punjab Environmental
Protection (Administrative Penalty Rules,2013).
The value of administrative penalty in the case of contravention under Sub-section (1) of Section 17of the Act,
cannot be less than PKR. 10,000 for every day the contravention continues while in case of a contravention punishable
under Sub-section (2) of Section 17 of the Act, the amount of administrative penalty cannot be less than PKR. 1,000
for every day, the contravention continues. It is interesting that S.15 of the Act deals with air and noise pollution
(Regulation of Vehicular Pollution) which is the primary source of contamination in cities but the minimum amount of
administrative penalty can be only PKR. 200 which shows the low priority of the legislature to conserve or protect the
environment adequately.
Environmental tribunals were established under Section 20 of the PEPA 1997 (Amendment 2012) and exercise their
exclusive jurisdiction by taking cognizance in environmental matters under Section 21as a trial forum while under
Section 22 as an appellant forum of the Act 2012. The tribunal has the competence to punish industrial
polluters/violators or contraveners of air, water, noise and solid waste related provisions of environmental law under
Section 17(1), with fine or penalty which may extend to PKR. 5 million and in case of continuing infringement failure, 20
with an additional fine which may extend to PKR. 100,000 for every day that such a violation continues .
The Tribunal under Section 17(2) of the Act also has also the jurisdiction to award/impose penalty or impose fine
or punish the offenders of Section 14 and Section 15 (air and noise pollution related provisions of environmental
legislation), with a fine which may extend to PKR. 500,000 while in case of continued contravention with an additional
fine which may extend to PKR. 1,000 for every day that such a violation continues.
Analysis reveals that the EPAs and environmental tribunals can play an effective role in environmental conservation
through the strict implementation of environmental legislation of Pakistan within their areas of jurisdiction.
Currently, the environmental tribunal is non-functional due to the existence of vacancy of its chairman and
technical member which is a defect in its constitution for unknown reasons, and which is vacant since 9 August 2017
when the former chairman relinquished his charge.
5. Effectiveness of Environmental Laws
5.1 Law Enforcement Mechanism in the Industrial Sector
5.2 Environmental Noncompliance in Textile and Leather SMEs
The EPA of Pakistan was the primary a regulatory body for monitoring and implementation of environmental laws.
Industrial environmental actions are regulated in several ways. First, regulations of the Punjab Environment Protection
Act (2000) for Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) state the
requirements for the preliminary review of environmental impacts. The IEE/EIA, undertaken by a firm, is likely to be
given to the EPA, concerned industrial associations, library, and local chambers. Second, firms/industries are expected
to follow the National Environmental Quality Standards, and self-monitoring and reporting by the industry to the EPA
on a monthly/quarterly basis depending on the pollution level of that industry. Samples of effluents have to be
inspected and verified by a laboratory that is certified by EPA. The regional Environmental Protection Agency is also
allowed to setup laboratories for research, evaluate effluents and report about pollutants to the EPA/environmental
tribunal (Samad, G. et al., 2015).
Before the commencement of a project, the Environmental Protection Agency, under Section 12 of PEPA 2012,
issues a notice in a local newspaper to evaluate if the community has reservations about the construction of the
proposed project. A public hearing is then conducted to share details of the purpose of the project and scope of
treatment plants, if any wastewater/emission will be released. Textile processing units have to attain an environmental
certificate before they are operational. After the submission of IEE/EIA along with monitoring and testing reports, a No
Objection Certificate (NOC) is issued. The industries and firms where wastewater is generated have an obligation to
setup wastewater treatment plants within 4 months of starting wet processing industries. Pakistan Environmental
Protection (Amended) Act, 2012 allows provincial authorities to levy a pollution charge on firms that are in non-
compliance with environmental laws. The Pollution charge is calculated by dividing the existing discharge rate by the
production units, details of the calculation of pollution charge for liquid and gaseous effluents/emissions is attached as 21
Annexure-VI . The Environmental Tribunal Rules of 1999 gave the provincial government the authorization to setup
environmental tribunals (Samad, G. et al., 2015).
It is pertinent to mention that, prior to the formation of the environmental laws; industries were bound to
implement Factory Act, 1934. It is a set principle that legislation or enactment has its legal effect on enforcement from
the date of gazette notification. Under these circumstances, it is established that the industries established before the
environmental enactment have no obligation to acquire environmental approval/no objection certificate from the
concerned EPAs under section 12 of PEPA Act 1997 or PEPA (Amended) Act, 2012. However, all kind of commercial
entities and industries having an obligation to comply with the existing environmental legislation, rules and regulations
and guidelines, made there under for the protection of the environment, prevention and control of pollution and
promotion of sustainable development.
The textile industrial sector is one of the most vital and largest industrial sectors of Pakistan with respect to production,
foreign exchange earnings and labour force employment as discussed in section 1 of this report.
Textile Sector
21 Notification – Pollution Charges Rules 2001 – EPD Punjab http://epd.punjab.gov.pk/system/files/Pollution_Charge_Rules_2001.pdf
16 17
(H S)2
Noise Level
Following Table 3 shows the section of the textile industries in which level of noise is high.
Table 3-Noise Level in Different Sections of Textile Industries
18 19
The processes carried out in textile industry are given below in the following flow sheet diagram:
Flow sheet diagram to illustrate the sequence of process carried out in textile Industry
Wastewater
Wastewater characteristics are shown in Table1. The pollutants characterizations from wastewater are shown below.
Table 1-Wastewater Characteristics of Textile Industry Processes
Air Emissions
Some industrial processes along with sources and related pollutants are shown in following Table 2.
Table 2-Air Emissions of Textile Industry Processes
Leather Sector
Various processes associated with leather production include soaking, liming, fleshing, pickling, chrome tanning,
shaving, drying, trimming and finishing. The processes in leather industry are shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4-Process Flow Diagram of Leather Production
Wastewater
Leather manufacturing is a water intensive industry. It takes 50 to 150 litres of water to convert one kilogram of raw
hides into finished leather. The leather industry is also a big contributor to wastewater; average daily liquid effluent
discharge from medium to large leather industries ranges from 280 to 800 cubic meters (WSP, 2013). The
characteristics of wastewater in leather industry are given in Table 5. Various processes associated with leather
production include soaking, liming, fleshing, pickling, chrome tanning, shaving, drying, trimming and finishing.
Table 5-Wastewater Characteristics of Leather Industry
Air Emissions
During leather processing, various air pollutants including H S, NH , SO , CO , Cl , fumes of formic acid and volatile 2 3 2 2 2
organic compounds are discharged into the atmosphere. H S, NH , and Cl are produced in liming, de-liming and 2 3 2
pickling operations of the leather finishing process. A significant part of the air pollution by the leather tanneries is
caused by the need for energy. Table 6 shows the sources of leather industries that cause air emissions.
Table 6-Air Emissions from Leather Industrial Processes
Noise Level
Solid Waste
In leather supply chain, wet processing industries employ heavy machinery for their operations as compared to
finishing industry. Utility Department is a major source of noise pollution in leather industry, where noise is produced
through the boilers, generators and compressors. Some machines on production floor, either due to nature of process
or lack of maintenance, also produce noise.
The major type of solid waste produced in leather industry is hair and flushing from soaking and liming processes. The
processes that cause solid waste generation are given in Table 7.
2120
Solid Waste
Solid waste generated from textile industry includes trimmings, fabrics cuttings, yarn, used dyes and pigments etc. The
type of the solid waste generated associated with different textile processes aregiven in Table4.
Table 4-Solid Waste Characteristics of Textile Industry Processes
Table 7 -Solid Waste Characteristics of Leather Industrial Processes
6. Case Study Report
i) IntroductionThe visited leather tannery was established in the 1970s. The industry runs 8 hours and production is at the peak after 3 months of Eid-ul-Adha. Most of the production from this industry is exported to Italy. This industry was approved by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA). The buyers do not require any international environmental certification. However, they demand approval from local environmental
22authorities. The industry was in the process of certification from Leather Working Group (LWG) . There were 700-800 workers in the industry.
ii) Processes:
Following processes were carried out in the said industry:Soaking: In this process, the moisture is removed and a minimum of 300 small or 17 large pieces are soaked daily. This process is run for 12-14 hours. The size of the drum was 10'x 11'. An automated system supplies water, and water consumption ratio was 20-150 per cent. Wastewater generated was drained to wastewater treatment plant. Fleshing waste is produced from the soaking process is called which is further used for to extraction of oil.Liming: In this process, hair is removed from the skin by using Calcium Hydroxide and Sodium Sulfide. The unnecessary flush is removed by flushing machine and is used for poultry purposes.Pickle: In this process, the limed product is acidified by adding Sulfuric acid and Sodium Chloride salt at pH 3.
iii) Emissions:Air Emissions: The major sources of air emissions were boilers used in dyeing and finishing area, but the exhaust emissions are re-used in de-liming process.Wastewater: For wastewater treatment, an effluent treatment plant (ETP) is installed, that consists of Equalization Tank, Primary Sedimentation, and Decantation. The primary treatment of wastewater removes 40 per cent of pollutants.
iv) Health and Safety:For the workers, health and safety goggles, helmets, gloves, masks, drum boots and safety boots were provided. The Labour Department frequently inspected the premises. There were few incidences of skin and lung disease in workers working in the chemical warehouse.
v) Comments by Industry Representative:Environmental legislation is not effective/adequate;Difficulty in ensuring Personal Protective Equipment usage among workers due to climatic conditions;NEQS are not industry specific.
Table-9: Note: The Statistical Data Variables for Textile & Leather Industries
7. Overall Status of Environmental ComplianceThe information regarding compliance to environmental laws was obtained from 10 textile industries and 10 leather
industries, which were selected from a list given by Lahore Chamber of Commerce, Faisalabad Chamber of
Commerce and Sialkot Chamber of Commerce. The overall status of environmental compliance and non-compliance
is presented in Table10.
22 A Leather Working Group Audit is an assessment of the environmental compliance and performance capabilities of leather manufacturers, against the Leather Working Group environmental auditing standard. (blcleathertech.com)
22 23
Variables Textile industries Leather Industries Large Medium Small Large Medium Small
Region Faisalabad Lahore Karachi Raiwind Kasur Lahore
Total Production 9125 tonnes per anum
8300 tonnes per annum
5000 tonnes / annum
25 million sqft/year
15 Million sqft/year
1.3 million sqft/year
Years of Operation 14 23 - 60 - 15
No.of Employees 600
500
-
509
350
250-300
Type of process/es
Knitting Dying Finishing Operations
Cotton Bale, Opening, Cleaning, processing, carding silver, drawing, simplex roving, last winding & packing.
Dyeing, Processing,
Printing, Stitching,
Packaging.
Raw Material, Wet Blue, Neutralization, Rechroming, Dyeing, Finishing.
Wet Blue to crust, crust to dye
Leather Tanning & Finishing
m3/day 3500
2500
2200
3000
2000
1800
International Certification
Oeko-Tex -100
ISO 9001:2008
WRAP –
ISO 14001
N/A
OekoTex , ISO 9001, ISO 14001
ISO 14001:2004
ISO 9001
Nil. International buyers
ISO 9001
ISO 14001
SADEX
Environmental Officers
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Penalty (Yes/No)
No
No
No
No
No
No
Effluent Generation
24 The pollution charge for industry (calculation and collection) Rules, 2001
25 Table tabulated through information collected from the environmental tribunal (Annexure VIII)
Table-10: Status of Environmental Compliance in textile and leather industries
8. Magnitude of Penalties and Punishments for Non-Compliance of
Environmental Laws
8.1 Rationale
8.2 Penalties
Compliance means confirmation that a manufacturer can do what they say they can according to the rules and 23
standards required by a contract . Industry, factory and commercial or public organization are said to be in
noncompliance if they are defiant to environmental laws, regulations, standards and other requirements related to the
environment. According to the Punjab Environmental Protection (Amended) Act 2012, the Environmental Tribunal shall
penalize those who contravene or fail to comply with the provisions of section 11, 12, 13 or 16 as discussed in section
4.2.5.1 of this report. To find out the magnitude of penalties and punishments due to non-compliance with
environmental legislation details of conviction cases from the year 2012-2016 were acquired from the environmental
tribunal.
The penalties should not be considered as the only way forward because only penalties or fines will not serve the
cause of environmental conservation or protection and eradication of pollution. It is, in one way, giving a green signal
for industries to pollute and pay for it. Industries may keep the cost of fines in their production; so in the end, it is the
environment which is at a loss. It is understood that environmental laws are mitigation/remedial natured legislation
instead of punitive sort of law. Therefore, the EPAs and environmental tribunals or green courts may encourage the
execution of four main components of Paris Agreement of COP 21 in 2015 such as Mitigation, Adaptation, Climate
Finance and Technology Transfer by the polluters/industrial sector while discouraging the penalties culture to ensure a
maximum reduction in pollution at source. Pakistan is signatory of the Paris Agreement. The mechanism of its
application in the country should be developed in light of intended nationally determined contributions (INDC) which
Pakistan submitted in COP21.
The record of awarded penalties obtained from the Environmental Tribunal shows that most of the complaints were
filed in the Tribunal by the Environmental Protection Agency (Punjab). The record also discloses that 90 per cent of the
23 Blacks Law Dictionary.
conviction cases were against the industrial units working in the Punjab which violated the environmental laws and
regulations. The detailed document on penalty cases, obtained from the Environmental Tribunal is attached as
Annexure-VII. The analysis is showcased by the following figures:
Figure 5-Comparison of Conviction Cases between Industrial and 24
Non-Industrial Units (2012-2016)
Figure 6- No. of Conviction Cases Filed in Environmental Tribunal25
from 2012-2016
2524
Registrar Office - Punjab Environmental Tribunal, Lahore
26 Registrar Office – Punjab Environmental Tribunal
27
Figure7- Comparison of Scale of Penalties in Different Industries 26
from Year 2012-2017
Figure 8- Comparison of the Number of Conviction Cases In Textile and
27Leather Industry with Other Industries
9. Challenges Faced by SMEs in Complying with the Local Environmental LawsAs discussed in the previous section, textile and leather sector has massive impacts on the economy of Pakistan, yet
these industries are currently facing several challenges due to which they are in non-compliance with the local
environmental laws. Some of these major challenges include lack of involvement from the management, financial
resources, technological restraints, lack of involvement from the employees, lack of government incentives, uncertainty
about environmental regulatory changes, and lack of capacity of industry owners and employees.
9.1 Capital Cost, Operating Cost and Area Requirement for Wastewater Treatment Plants
10. Impacts of Non-compliance of Environmental Laws on Health Sector2810.1 Existing Health Surveillance
10.2 Working of ILO, Labour Department, and WHO
10.3 Existing Policies for Industrial Workers
The challenges for the installation of effluent treatment plants are generally related to the cost of construction and area
requirement. Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) can be costly to build and operate because they require high capital,
complex technology, skilled manpower for operation and maintenance, mechanical spare parts, high energy, and
sludge disposal area. However, capital cost, operating cost, land size and complexity of effluent treatment technologies
rise with the quantity/quality of the waste produced. The other main reason is those public and private sectors have
failed to recognize the impact of effluent treatment and also not giving importance to the availability of safewater for
human consumption.
Expectancy of life in Pakistan has increased from 54 (1978) to 63 (today) and is still short by comparable standards. In
the last twenty five years, child mortality rate has reduced from 120 in 1978 to 74 in 2017. More than 35 per cent of
children under five are malnourished. Data from the Ministry of Health, government of Pakistan demonstrates that most
deaths occur due to communicable diseases. In 2000, major causes of deaths in Pakistan were diarrheal and
respiratory diseases. However, the current demographic and socio-economic change in Pakistan has witnessed a
double challenge in the count to the prevailing communicable disease. Recent data on people's household expenditure
shows that a considerably higher proportion of households spend more on the care of non-communicable diseases
rather than the contagious diseases.
Since the past few years, the economic situation of Pakistan has enhanced noticeably that has produced an
extraordinary financial space making extra resources available. This is further authenticated by the last 3 years
comparative notable growth rate of about 7-8 per cent with an unparalleled rise in per capita income. The trends in
the budget 2006-07 have also shown more funds for progress and an extensive increase along with prominence on
public health concerns such as maternal and child health, water-borne diseases, and other communicable diseases.
The data of health and diseases survey is attached as Annexure- VIII.
According to the current assessment of the International Labour Organization (ILO), each year about 159-269 million
employees, encounter work-related diseases or accidents. The dreadful condition of Occupational Health and Safety
(OH&S) in the developing countries like Pakistan is due to many reasons, such as inadequate health services, lack of
training for workers and lack of concerned data about illness and calamity. Healthy and well-trained workers are an
advantage to both production and economic achievement.
Labour Policy also aims to attain the objectives in a way best suited to resources of the country and state of the
economy. There is a legitimate obligation to enhance awareness of their obligations among workers and employers.
Concurrently, government identifies that workers and employers must have reasonable profits as can be sustained by
the financial system without setbacks. Keeping these anomalies in view, the government believes that a balanced
labour policy should be made on the following:
Workers can form unions, and an institutional framework must be present to promote close relationship
between workers and employers at management level.
Employers and workers have equal rights in an atmosphere of synchronization.
There should be effective consultations between workers and employers on issues of interest to the
organization and well-being of workers.
Government of Pakistan Labour Policy, 2010
2726
28 Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey -
www.nips.org.pk/.../PDHS%20Final%20Report%20as%20of%20Jan%2022-2014.pdf
29 4010209 Noshi Health Safety Brick Industries.(n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.scientific-journals.co.uk/web_documents/4010209_health_safety__brick_30
Source: SELCON Intl Team research
Adequate protection of jobs should be accessible to the workers, and there should be quick redressal of their
complaint.
On the basis of merit, promotion of jobs to be provided to all levels and proper planning to be done in this
regard.
Facilities for suitable matching of job prospects and the profession seekers to be reinforced and customary
procedures to be streamlined.
Schemes for social insurance to be further strengthened.
Impartiality and humane conditions of work assured to all workers.
Forced labour in all its forms to be eliminated.
Requirements relating to the service of children to be strictly held and be obligatory.
Operational Health and Safety is concerned about mines and provision of water for drinking, restrooms, cafés,
shelters, first-aid, working hours, extra salary for overtime, leaves and holidays, notice of mishaps and occupational
illnesses and safety actions to be observed at workplaces. (Pasha, 2003)
The employer is bound to give compensation to his workers due to injury in accidents and the Occupational Diseases.
(ILO, 1923)
This law governs the health and safety of workers in industries or factories having ten or more workers. The Act under
sections 33, 33 A, 33 K , 33 L and 33 Q offers regulating the Occupational Health and Safety facilities such as
ventilation, control of temperature, control of dust and fumes, overcrowding, proper lighting, supply of clean drinking
water, precautions against communicable diseases, stipulation of canteen for workers, safety measures in case of fire,
proper fencing and maintenance of machinery and prohibit employment of young people on unsafe lifting machines
and crane, pressure plants, explosive or inflammable things. Each province will enforce its own laws with the consent of
Factories Act as amended in 1997.
The Provincial Employees Social Security Ordinance, 1965 under section 2(10) read with column (1) of the schedule
contained in The West Pakistan Employees Social Security (Occupational Diseases) Regulation, 1967 portrays the 29
occupational diseases, such as anthrax, asthma, cancer, pneumoconiosis .
Mines Act, 1923
Workmen Compensation Act, 1923
Factories Act, 1934 (Amended 1997)
Provincial Employees Social Security Ordinance, 1965
1) Health Impacts of Textile Industry
3011. Short-term and Medium-term Impacts
Table-11: Health Impacts of Textile Industry
Table-12: Health impacts of Leather Industry.
2) Health Impacts of Leather Industry
3112. Impacts of Textile and Leather Industries
12.1 Short-term and Medium-term Health Impacts of Textile Industries
Textile industry particularly wet processing, uses variety of synthetic chemicals which also appears in the final effluent
due to process constraints and inefficiencies. A portion of the chemicals present in the effluent of textile leaches out to
groundwater which results in contamination of resources. Based on field visits to the industry, it has been found that
textile effluents are highly polluted and seriously affecting the health of the near by communities. The residents suffered
from bad odour of the textile wastes and were commonly suffering from asthma, and were also experiencing frequent
headaches, sneezing, and influenza.
31 Literature review was verified by the field visits
28 29
12.2 Short-term and Medium-term Health Impacts of Leather Industries
The intake of polluted groundwater near tannery areas can cause different hygienic problems such as skin
ailments, allergies, neoplastic, and gastrointestinal problems.
High acidity in water by effluents and heavy metals binding to the sulfhydryl group of amino acids can result
in intestinal, mucosal, corrosion and inhibition of essential enzymatic activities.
Chronic exposure may cause lung airway obstruction (which reduces ventilator capacity) and leads to disability and 32
premature death .
The long-term exposure to leather dust, lead, NO , SO , H S in tannery may cause a high rate of morbidity 2 2 2
and mortality.
Aromatic amines and benzene based dyes are considered carcinogens. The prolonged exposure to these
dyes causes bladder cancer in tannery workers.
Prolonged exposure to the dimethylformamide (DMF) causes testicular cancer in the workers of tannery 33
finishing department. The ratio of testicular cancer is 7.2 per cent among tanners as compared to others .
Soft tissue sarcoma can be caused by exposure to Chlorophenols that is used in pre-tanning and tanning
process.
Exposure to leather dyes and fats causes skin cancer in tannery workers. The ratio of skin melanoma and
skin cancer in female tannery workers is greater than males.
The buccal cavity and pharynx cancer is observed in workers of tanning and liming workshops.
The exposure to formaldehyde in tannery workers is leads to development of pancreatic cancer.
Following table depicts the health impacts associated with heavy metals used in textile and leather industries:
Long-term/Chronic Impacts of Exposure
Textile
Leather
Heavy Metals in Textile and Leather Industries
32 Verified by field visits of SELCON Intl Team.33
Investigation Of A Testicular Cancer Cluster Using A Case ... (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/20780526_Investigation_of_a_Testicular_
34Table-13: Health Impacts of Heavy Metals Used In Textile and Leather Industries
34 Based on the survey research carried out by SELCON Team.
30 31
Toxic Heavy Metals Type of Industry Health Impacts
Arsenic (As) Textiles Nausea, vomiting, abnormal heart beat, skin and liver cancer.
Barium (Ba) Textiles Short-term exposure: vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, difficulties in breathing, increased or decreased blood pressure, numbness around the face, and muscle weakness. Long-term exposure: high blood pressure, heart problems or paralysis.
Cadmium (Cd) Textiles Short-term exposure: irritation of stomach, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Long-term exposure: kidney problems, damage to lung, and fragile bones.
Chromium (Cr) Textiles and Leather Short-term exposure: nose ulcers, asthma, cough, shortness of breath and wheezing. Long-term exposure: damage to liver, kidney, circulatory and nerve tissues and skin irritation.
Lead (Pb) Textiles Long-term exposure: In adults can result in decreased performance of the nervous system; feebleness in fingers, wrists, or the ankles; small rises in blood pressure; and anaemia. Exposure to high lead levels can severely damage brain and kidneys and ultimately cause death.
Mercury (Hg) Textiles and Leather High levels can cause damage to the brain, kidneys, and developing foetuses. Short-term exposure: lung damage, nausea, increases in heart rate or blood pressure, vomiting, diarrhoea, skin rashes and eye irritation.
Selenium (Se) Textiles Short-term exposure: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea Long-term exposure: sclerosis (hair loss, nail brittleness, and neurological abnormalities)
Nickel (Ni)
Textiles
Exposure to high quantity
of nickel can cause lung embolism, respiratory failure, birth defects, asthma and chronic bronchitis and heart disorders.
Aluminium (Al) Textiles
Exposure to significant concentrations of aluminium cause damage to the nervous system, dementia, loss of memory, listlessness, severe trembling.
Cobalt (Co)
Textiles and Leather
Uptake of high concentrations of cobalt cause vomiting and nausea, vision problems, heart problems and thyroid damage.
Zinc (Zn)
Textiles
Uptake of large amounts of zinc can cause health
problems i.e. stomach cramps, skin irritations, vomiting, nausea, and anemia.
March 2013 Data Sheet Audiogram - Cannamm.(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cannamm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Datasheet-Audiogram.pdf36
Osha Training And Reference Materials Library - Ppe Assessment.(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/dte/library/ppe_assessment/ppe_assessment.html
35
13. Impacts of Non-compliance of Environmental Laws on Health
13.1 Industrial workers
Health Assessment of workers
Through field surveys i.e. consultation with industrial workers and enquiring about the relevant health issues, the health
of workers can be assessed. During surveys to the industries the following issues were observed that may cause health
problems:
1. Workers do not use the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE);
2. Workers are ignorant of the health and safety protocols in the workplace;
3. Lack of interest of the employer;
4. Poor handling of hazardous chemicals;
5. Poor machinery management;
6. Poor internal drainage system;
7. Lack of safety signs and hazard indicators in the workplace;
8. Unavailability of complete data from substandard chemical suppliers.
During surveys in both textile and leather industries following potential hazards were identified:
Fire
Explosions
Toxic release
Chemical/gas leakage or reaction
13.2 Workers Health / Sickness monitoring
Audiometric Tests for Workers
Hearing Protection
When is Hearing Protection Required?
Hearing Conservation Programme (HCP)
Monitoring
To reduce the health hazards and hearing loss caused by contaminated air and exposure to high noise levels, the main
driver is to introduce audiometric testing into a workplace, that helps identify any immediate hearing limitations that
may present a risk to workers operating in safety-sensitive role in the environment. The objective of the assessment is to 35
determine whether an individual is suitable to perform his or her job without risk to himself or for others .
Noise exposure depends on the following aspects as per our findings during study:
Level of sound, measured in decibels on the A-scale(dBA).
Duration of employee's exposure to sound at various levels throughout the work period.
Calculation with noise dosimeter, which specifies daily noise dose in percent.
As with other types of hazards, there is a need to implement feasible engineering and work practice controls before
resorting to PPE, in this case, hearing protection.
OSHA's noise standard (29 CFR 1910.95 – set in the year 1995) requires the use of hearing protection when
the employee's noise exposure exceeds an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level (TWA) of 90 dBA (dose of 100
per cent).
Employees who are exposed to an 8-hour TWA of 85 dBA (dose of 50 per cent) and who have measured 36
hearing loss (as prescribed by the OSHA standard) are also required to wear hearing protection .
All employees whose noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour TWA of 85 dBA must be included in a HCP.
According to OSHA, HCP is comprised of five basic elements:
i) Exposure monitoring
ii) Audiometric testing
iii) Hearing protection
iv) Employee training
v) Record-keeping
Following are the important factors to reduce the exposure of employees to high noise level of 85 dBA or more:
Regular noise monitoring in major processes including production and utility operations,
Monitoring of any other employees that may be exposed due to their location or orientation, or
Hearing protectors being used may be rendered inadequate.
3332
38 The Official Budget Document for Fiscal Year 2017-2018
Audiometric Testing Program
Hearing Protection
Training
Record-keeping
Waterborne diseases:
Monitors employee hearing acuity over time.
Includes standard and annual audiograms and initiates training and follow-up procedures.
Tests must be conducted by a professional or trained technician in an appropriate test environment.
Must be made accessible to all the employees that are exposed to an 8-hour TWA of 85 dBA or more.
Is mandatory for those who have experienced hearing loss, defined as a “Standard Threshold Shift” in the
OSHA standard.
Common types include earplugs and earmuffs.
Hearing protector reduction capacity shown by its Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) on package.
Proper fit is essential.
Annual training required in:
Effects of noise;
Purpose, advantages, disadvantages, and attenuation characteristics of various types of hearing protectors;
Selection, fitting and care of protectors; and
Purposes and procedures of audiometric testing.
Noise exposure records must be kept for 2 years.
Records of audiometric test results must be maintained for duration of affected employee's employment.
As per the information gathered from the industries through field survey, following diseases are associated with textile
and leather industry:
Malaria
Typhoid
Abdominal Pain
Asthma
Eye Irritation
Bronchitis
Skin diseases
13.3 Community Health Impacts
Airborne diseases:
14. Critical Analysis of Environmental Laws
14.1 The effectiveness of existing different sectoral laws on water, air, noise and solid waste:
15. Evaluation of the Compliance Effectiveness of Different Provisions of
Existing Environmental Legislation
15.1 Ineffective Compliance:
To assess the scope of effectiveness for different sectoral laws, mentioned in this report, for the general public, there
are two main factors which may attract people to comply with such laws, rules and regulations, made thereunder, such
as:
In existing general laws related to water, air, noise and solid waste, there is no mechanism provided for launching
effective public awareness campaign to educate the masses about the concept of clean environment as a basic
human right and responsibility we all share to maintain a healthy environment. Article 9 of the Constitution speaks
about pollution free peaceful and healthy environment.
Due to lack of awareness and education about environmental issues, it is difficult to encourage industries to
compliance with such legislation. There is a need to educate them about the value of cleaner production and it
will equally be beneficial to awareness general public to see clean environment as their legal right. This step will
inspire people to participate in environmental conservation activities. This will eventually pressurize the industries to
voluntarily comply with environmental legislation as compared to imposing fines or penalties. It is understood that
environmental laws of Pakistan are remedial in nature rather than punitive.
The magnitude of penalties/conviction/punishments provided in general legislation on water, air, noise and solid
waste are important factors to evaluate their effectiveness in environmental conservation. The quantum of
fines/penalties in general sectoral laws is very low; fines start from PKR 100 up to PKR 1,000 only and
imprisonment from a month to 2 years. These light penalties and punishments do not prove effective in
compliance of existing legislation. For effective compliance of said laws, there is a need to introduce amendments
therein by increasing the fine/penalty amount in conformity with the capacity of polluters to pay the penalties, as
well as, to address the need for combating the prevailing increase in the ratio of environmental crimes.
One of the main reasons of ineffective compliance of existing environmental legislation is that Pakistan did not make
appropriate investments in developing the capacity of professional cadres of Environmental Managers, Lawyers,
Specialists, and Experts to administer and implement the these laws and policies. The EPAs were ignored in budgetary
allocations for trainings and no Environmental Laboratories with advanced equipment to monitor and evaluate data 38
were set up .
In result under-resourcing of EPAs, Pakistan still lacks managerial, professional and techno-legal capability to
support effective compliance with environmental laws and policies. The government did not commit to educating
public or developing contemporary environmental syllabus in educational institutions from primary onwards. This is the
major reason that environmental management has not been mainstreamed in our national policy.
14.1.1 Rewards/Awards/Positive Incentives
14.1.2 Imposition of Penalties/Punishments/Convictions
34 35
40 Data collected from Office of the Controller Examination – University of the Punjab
Another pertinent contributing factor towards lack of awareness on environmental issues and non-compliance may
be the lack of interest by university students to take up environmental legal education as a subject which is apparent 39
from the data obtained from the University of Punjab, for students in LLB Part III exams .
In the absence of incentives provided by environmental institutions, students are showing less interest in opting for
environmental law as an optional subject.
Figure 9: Depicting the number of Law students appeared in LLB Part-III Exams with Environmental Law paper comprising 100 marks (as an optional subject) from Law colleges
40affiliated with the University of the Punjab from the year 2012 to 2017 .
Other reasons behind ineffective compliance of environmental legislations include lack of public awareness about
filing a case against environmental grievance, non-functioning of some of the Environmental Tribunals and
Environmental Magistrates, irregular meetings of the Environmental Protection Councils, stringent NEQS which are
difficult for the industry to meet with and lack of trained and motivated personnel in the provincial EPAs.
Note: A case law on pollution related to Leather Industry is attached as Annexure IX.
For increase effectiveness of said legal and institutional arrangements, there should be a credible monitoring and
enforcement system immediately put into place, and innovative technologies and modern techniques should be
introduced. It is estimated that about 80 per cent of the industrial units are medium and small size industries having
insufficient knowledge of environmental issues and so much, so they have no up-to-date technical competence and not
enough financial resources to solve these environmental problems.
To redress their grievances, there is need to provide the industries sustained technical support for self-monitoring
of their pollution levels, and afterward, they may report the same to the regulatory authorities such as EPAs.
It is concluded that alongside air, water, noise and solid waste laws, there is a need for additional rules and
regulations for effective compliance with environmental legislation, such as:
a) Noise Pollution Control Rules
b) Odour Pollution Control Rules
c) Radiation Protection Rules
d) Vibration Control Rules
e) Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules
By introducing a regular process of engaging public as a whole through awareness campaigns and by developing
community participatory mechanisms, public pressure can be built to improve efforts in effective compliance with
environmental laws/legislation and the rules and regulations made thereunder for environmental conservation.
15.2 Concluding Remarks
16. Opportunities for Enhanced Implementation of Environmental Legislations
in Leather and Textile Sector
16.1 In-House Improvement
Cleaner Production
The global demand in environment friendly products and services has increased due to pollution caused by industries.
While industries in Pakistan faces serious challenges in attracting investment and human capital needed to meet these
demands. In 1989, UNEP introduced cleaner production concept, which offers incentives to industries to implement
environmental and other regulatory standards. The basis of cleaner production is the efficient use of resources, and it is
defined as increasing the scale of production while minimizing the exploitation of limited resources across the value
chain and life cycle of a product.
The application of cleaner production will help enhance productivity of industries, give a boost to the national
economy and build up the Pakistani “brand” as a green supply chain, while also decreasing the pollution and harm to
the environment. Companies will have more profits and will be more competitive in the international market.
Manufacturing high-quality and cost-effective products, developed on cleaner production techniques will not only
reduce industrial requirements of energy, water, and material use, but also reduce environmental degradation. (NPO,
CPI)
The following table shows cleaner production techniques:
Table-15: Ways of Cleaner Production
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39 Data obtained from the Registrar's office in The University of Punjab
17. Environmental Rights of Citizens
18. Environmental Awareness and Public Access to Environmental Justice
19. Conclusion
The citizens should have a right to safe environment for their well-being and health. They should also work with
environmental organizations or the government to get access to information about the current environmental state.
They should be involved in public hearings/meetings on the impacts to the environment of the planned project at all
the stages of the design, construction and operation, conducted by concerned authority and proponents. They should
be active stakeholders in conversing and making implications to the draft rules, resources for the construction of
projects that may concern the environment, and also have a right to present proposals to national and local
environment governing authorities involved in decision making.
Following are the ways, using which we can create awareness:
Making environmental education a compulsory part of the syllabus from the school level.
Educate masses about rising environmental issues through electronic and print media such as:
writing articles on environmental issues;
conduct environmental rallies;
organize plantation drives;
TV serials and movies on real stories of eco-disasters and conservation efforts successes.
Provide the vulnerable communities with the indispensable orientation and training by organizing training
programmes and workshops.
The ministry of environment and other environment related departments can publicize environment-related
issues in the form of pamphlets or booklets.
Social media should also be used as a potent medium for awareness campaigns, especially to the younger
generation.
Voluntary associations can be established who facilitate the government by informing about local
environmental matters and also interact at the grass-root levels for their involvement in the solving of
problems.
Through a detailed review and after an intensive study and observation, it is concluded that:
1. Lack of environmental education or awareness among workers;
2. Widely unplanned land use models, industrial expansions without environmental assessments;
3. No advice and assistance from EPA to ensure compliance with the set environmental standards during
their commercial and industrial activities; and
4. Insufficient energy and power generation.
It was observed that water and air pollution was common in leather and textile sector, causing a high degree of
environmental degradation. As per objectives of the study, it was tried to critically observe the current state of non-
compliance of environmental legislation in leather and textile sector, the challenges involved therein and the adverse
impacts on the health of industrial workers and the surrounding communities.
Government is integrating environmental protection into development plans. However, in different infrastructure
development projects in Punjab, government did not take into account the requisite provisions of relevant legislation to
mitigate the severity of adverse effects of the development work causing damage to the environment. This resulted in
initiation of environmental litigation in superior courts of law, wherefrom due to the issuance of restraining orders, the
underway projects remained suspended for a while. Generally, the initiatives like setting up, expansion and operation
of industrial units often result in objectionable effluents and emissions polluting the environment. This leads to various
environmental issues and causes disturbance to nearby residents which ultimately results in public complaints against
16.2 Resource Efficiency
16.3 Combined Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP)
Energy efficiency measures include:
Metering,
Installation of energy efficient lighting,
Thermal insulation of steam lines and valves,
Thermal insulation of the boiler,
Tuning of the boilers' burners and improvement of the air to fuel ratio,
Installation of heat recovery from exhaust-flue gases,
Repair of steam and condensate leakages,
Limit unnecessary use of compressed air,
Improve maintenance operation,
Installation of energy efficient motors,
Recover heat from wastewater,
Control temperature of drying process, and
Improve maintenance of machines and equipment.
Water efficiency measures:
Water metering
Reuse of cooling water in the process,
Water optimization through automation, and
Reuse of RO rejected water.
The primary objective of the combined effluent treatment plant (CETP) is to benefit communities and to meet the NEQS
and other standards which are the requirement of the foreign customers. The installation of CETP is not only beneficial
for human and environment, but it also enhances the export of textile and leather products.
The first plant was installed in Kasur with the support of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization
(UNIDO). The combined effluent treatment plant was based on primary treatment only and capable of handling 3 41
13,000 m /day effluents from 230 tanneries . Presently the UNIDO is facilitating the installation of combined effluent 42
treatment plant in Sialkot tannery zone, as well .
In Pakistan the first combined effluent treatment plant having secondary treatment was setup in Korangi Industrial
Area, Karachi for tanneries wastewater treatment by the partnership of different stakeholders such as Pakistan Tanners
Association (PTA) (Southern Zone); Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP); Ministry of Commerce,
government of Sindh; government of Pakistan; government of Netherlands, and City District Government, Karachi. The
total cost of the combined effluent treatment plant (CETP) was PKR. 492 million. The CETP covered the area of about 3
15 acres and fulfilled the requirement of 150 tanneries of Korangi cluster. The capacity of CETP was 42,000 m /day.
The plant was based on Up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB), a Dutch technology which has low maintenance
and operational cost. Tannery effluent was brought from the individual tannery to the main CETP over a distance of 12
km (PTA).
41 https://leatherpanel.org/content/kasur-tannery-pollution-control-project-pakistan
42 https://leatherpanel.org/content/kasur-tannery-pollution-control-project-pakistan
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such industrial units and subsequent legal proceedings initiated by the law enforcing agency in the Green Courts of
Law. To address environmental issues, an environmental legislation, which is duly enforced, is essential. The Pakistan
Environmental Protection Act 1997 attains the Federal Status whereas all the provinces have promulgated their own
Environmental Protection Acts. Punjab has also promulgated its environmental law titled, The Punjab Environmental
Protection Act 1997 (Amendment), 2012.
It was also observed that support of civil society organizations (like IUCN, WWF, etc.) and legal community has
also been helpful in the development of a green lobby in Pakistan. It is concluded that the objectives of the study can
be accomplished by ensuring the smooth compliance of environmental legislation by removing deficiencies,
discrepancies, lacunas and flaws, found in its text.
Following are recommendations to be considered with optimistic approach during the course of environmental legal
review process by the concerned institutions and government functionary, in future.
Encourage industrial sector to adopt modern treatment techniques and technologies by the installation of
electronic emissions control devices, as well as, effluent treatment plants, as the case may be.
Establish combined effluent treatment plants for a cluster of industries who cannot afford to run individual
effluent treatment plants due to financial, physical, and technological limitations.
The government should publicize environmental reports and devise a moderate rating system to provide
incentives/rewards/tax rebates to the relevant industrial entrepreneurs according to their performance in
compliance with environmental legislation.
In all small and medium industries, environmental management system should be made compulsory
along with mandatory capacity building of the workforce through trainings and workshops.
All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association (APTPMA),
Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA), Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA), Pakistan Leather
Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PLGMEA), Chamber of Commerce and Industries,
Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Provincial Environmental Protection Agencies (EPAs) and other
relevant public sector organizations should be part of one forum for better coordination and
collaboration in environmental compliance through training of their staff and joint research.
Cleaner production practices should be promoted and incentivized in the industrial estates.
Industrial symbiosis should be introduced at master plan of industrial estate.
During all level of project's phases such as planning, designing, construction, and operation, the relevant
person of the project or organization should comply with environmental and socio-economic
requirements.
Ensure active participation of NGOs, INGOs, academia and civil society in environmental protection
activities.
In case of damage to health, safety, or property of industrial workers and nearby community as a result
of a violation of environmental legislation, the rating procedure for the compensation paid by the
polluters and industry owners to the aggrieved should be prescribed.
An online automated system for acquiring any information regarding analytical and environmental
auditing system should be evolved to get access to up to date ambient environmental conditions in and
around the industries.
Industrial estates and zones should be established far from populated areas where the community would
not get adversely affected or displaced due to the pollutants discharged from the industries.
Pak-EPA and other provincial environmental protection agencies should set industry specific standards
rather than general or uniform standards and also take into account the geographical and ecological
conditions of the area where the industry is proposed to be installed.
Educational resources, awareness materials and compliance assistance tools should be prescribed for
the use of community, small and medium businesses and efforts are made for their application in
reducing the sources of pollution.
20. Recommendation to Improve Environmental Laws and Policies
A standardized computerized system should be developed at provincial and national level for
collecting, sustaining and utilizing data of compliance and enforcement of environmental laws and
regulations.
An effective mechanism should be developed that would facilitate to minimize the communication gaps
between communities and environmental management authorities to resolve environmental issues. In
this regard, city-wide partnership forums should be established in all the major cities of Pakistan.
Most importantly the particular subject of environmental protection and awareness should be a
compulsory part of syllabi from primary onwards, especially in legal and technical educational
institutions.
The national and provincial environmental protection councils should launch awareness campaigns on
all mediums, especially social media to sensitize people about their environmental rights and how to
obtain justice should these rights get infringed.
National and Provincial governments should make a panel of environmental lawyers/attorneys who
may initiate environmental litigation in public interest through green benches established in superior
constitutional courts of law for getting directions to the concerned quarters for the
implementation/compliance of environmental legislation in letter and spirit for pollution free
environment.
The environmental councils and agencies in collaboration with the health department should make
regulations by prescribing procedures to meet new and emerging environmental challenges.
Policymakers, Chambers of Commerce and Industry and regulators must develop a joint programme
giving awareness about the benefits of adopting cleaner production technologies by facilitating SMEs
in obtaining green loans from banks to acquire the specific energy-efficient technologies, train the
workforce and technology service providers to enhance their efficiency performance to comply with
relevant environmental laws and policies.
Integration of environmental concerns in landscaping, economic and spatial planning.
The regulations to deal with noise pollution from railway engines, aircraft, industrial or construction
activities should be promulgated.
Provincial effluent control standards for end of pipe industrial, commercial and municipal wastewater
should be made.
The provincial emissions control standards for flue gases, process gases, burning products, incineration
products, combustion products and particulate matter entering from industrial activities, motor vehicle
exhaust standards should also be notified.
Modern and relevant guidelines and legal framework for controlling water pollution should be
introduced by the environmental protection councils and agencies to combat water pollution.
The provisions of suomotu powers under suomotu modusoperandi vested to the Environmental
Tribunal to notice, adjudicate, prosecute or punish the offenders/contraveners/violators/defaulters to
resolve the environmental controversies/conflicts effectively should be incorporated in the PEPA Act
1997 Amended 2012.
40 41
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